The Way Electro-Clash Restored Glamour, Filth and Excitement to 2000s Music
Jonny Melton knew his club night Nag had hit a new level when he saw a legendary TV host moving to the beat. “In my opinion that’s the sole moment I got extremely pumped,” he laughs. “I was playing the Tobi Neumann remix of the song My Neck, My Back – and there was Cilla.”
The Global Wave of Electroclash
An emerging trend of synth-driven beats emerged internationally in the 2000s. German artists introduced group Chicks on Speed and pioneering DJ Hell. France produced Miss Kittin, The Hacker, and other artists. The UK spawned an electro-pop quartet and Add N To (X). Canada showcased Tiga and Peaches who transformed her sound with a production tool.
NYC had a performance duo and a DJ-producer who coined the term electro-clash. Song texts were witty, at times explicit, and over-the-top. The sound fused house with a DIY vibe.
“Production wasn’t as easy,” explains Larry Tee. “It was possible to produce finished tracks in your home studio.”
An Answer to the Established Industry
Electroclash felt like a counterpoint to commercial dance venues. According to a key figure, it was music by “outsider people … frustrated with a establishment” that defined what music should be.
The scene quickly found an following. Nag Nag Nag featured not only electroclash but also punk tracks. It became an immediate success, bringing in famous faces like Kate Moss, Alexander McQueen, and Boy George.
Impact and Revival
Even though hype, the movement never produced a huge commercial act. Several artists found it tough on rock-oriented gigs. But its influence entered pop music through artists like a girl group, Goldfrapp, and even Madonna.
Stateside, however, electroclash provoked a backlash. Larry Tee believes it was because the music industry ignored “women, LGBTQ+ people and theys.”
In recent years, however, electroclash has seen a revival. Emerging acts and parties have rediscovered the name. An original artist performed her debut record to rapturous audiences, including new followers.
“In my view the new audience understand it,” notes an insider. “It was like the counterculture.”
These tracks of electroclash still sound energetic in the present. The attitudes – gender fluidity and independent spirit – seem more current than ever.
